Piercing Hatred | ✔️

12

~Knox's POV~

I watched Flora as she fretted around Odette, a slightly frantic look in her green eyes. It was the day of my photoshoot, and it was clear to see that she was overwhelmed now that she was doing shit she hadn't before. She stuck close by Odette's side as someone pushed by with a large rack of clothes hanging from it, her full lips turned down in an unintentional pout.

Truly, I could understand why she was a little overwhelmed in assisting in this, seeing as it was rather chaotic. I was used to the constant rushing around and tossing of clothes, the amount of people, and this building, but she was new to all of it. It was an odd environment to be in at first, though I was sure she'd get used to it pretty quick.

"Knox!" Someone huffed my name as they shook my shoulder, causing me to divert my attention from Flora and to the woman slightly to my right. It was Charlotte, a woman a few years older than me who I saw often here. "I've been trying to get your attention for five minutes." She said, a scolding tone to her voice as she crossed her arms over her chest. I shrugged, not offering up an explanation or apology. "What's up?" I asked instead, though I already knew what she was here for.

She usually was in charge of doing my hair, which I thought was often unnecessary. It wasn't like my face was the focus of the pictures, anyways.

Charlotte gave me a flat look. "This way." She said simply, turning to head towards the chair she almost always sat me in to style my hair. I rolled my eyes but followed her without trying to complain, flopping into the chair. While she did her thing I stared off into space, my eyes absentmindedly finding Flora's reflection in the mirror as she spoke to Odette on the opposite side of the room.

It looked like she was being scolded, and I only knew this because of the sulky look that formed on her face before she huffed and stormed my way. The edges of my lips twitched into an amused smirk as she caught my gaze in the mirror and shot me a lethal glare, stomping passed my chair.

"Are you trying to flirt with the girl or make her hate you?" Charlotte snorted from behind me, not having missed the silent interaction. I just quirked up a brow. "Well, considering she already hates me, I don't have to try to make her do that." I responded bluntly, pursing my lips. Surprise flashed across her face before she smiled, as if amused. "Aw, poor you." She teased, chuckling as she tossed the comb in her hand onto the table in front of us. I sent her a glare in response, not finding it funny.

Finishing up with her styling of my hair rather quickly, she gave me a pat on my shoulder before she wandered off, talking to the photographer instead. I spun around in my chair as I noticed Flora reluctantly approach me, holding two items of clothing on hangers.

Her green eyes narrowed at me as she met my gaze, the tips of her fingers tightening around the hangers. "What are you smirking at?" She grumbled, coming to a stop in front of me. "You're looking rather grumpy today, doll face. Something wrong?" I asked, unable to stop myself from teasing her. As if trying to remind herself to stay calm, she inhaled deeply and then blew it out slowly.

"Just take these." She said, completely ignoring my question. I took the clothes when she held them out to me, my fingertips brushing against hers. "So sweet of you." I teased, rising from my seat. Her head tilted back and she peered up at me from beneath her lashes, crossing her arms beneath her chest. "You know me." She said dryly. "Sweet as can be." She added, turning around to stride off. I watched her go for a moment before I headed to get changed, re-entering the room again once I was done.

I plopped onto the couch and scrolled through my phone, not paying much attention to my surroundings. Right up until someone plopped down beside me, the scent of sweet caramel and fruity raspberries immediately making my eyes snap over to Flora.

Back when we were in high-school, I never remembered her having this scent, and I wondered if maybe she had some new perfume that she always wore now. Whatever it was, I liked it. It somehow suited her well.

Our gazes met and I was sure the surprise that she was willingly sitting beside me showed on my face because she glanced down at her lap and fiddled with her fingers. "You don't have to look so shocked." She grumbled, crossing one leg over the other. The crossing of her legs had my eyes trailing down her figure before I could stop myself, taking in the oversized black leather jacket that fell to a bit above her mid-thigh, matching the length of her black miniskirt.

The cream colored top she wore, tucked into her skirt, was tight and had a graphic on the front of a tiger. Her thighs were covered in sheer black tights that led down her legs, and I couldn't fathom for the fucking life of me why I found them so hot on her. I clenched my jaw as she absentmindedly kicked her boot-covered foot, slightly annoyed at my attraction towards her.

"Well, you never even so much as approach me unless you're forced to, so can you really blame me?" I grunted in response, flicking my eyes up to hers again. She narrowed her gaze at me and huffed in annoyance, but didn't try to argue. It seemed like she was actually trying to be as friendly as she could with me, especially since Odette was here.

Flora was quiet for a moment, looking around at everyone within the room, before she glanced my way again. "You seem actually very comfortable with everyone here." She said, causing me to cock up a brow. "I mean, this is pretty regular for me. I'm familiar with everyone by now. Some I would even consider friends." I told her, watching as she thoughtlessly chewed on her bottom lip. "And...none are more than friends to you?" She asked hesitantly, the odd question making me furrow my brows in confusion.

I tilted my head to the side and she began to bounce her leg a little bit faster. "What?" I chuckled, unsure what exactly she was trying to ask. "You know what I'm asking, Knox." She rolled her eyes and turned her torso towards me a bit more. "A lot of women work here, it seems. Pretty ones, too." She said, her eyes briefly flicking away.

And I wasn't sure what the hell it was about the tone of her voice, or perhaps I was just being delusional, but I thought she almost seemed annoyed by the idea of her own insinuation.

But I shook my head to myself and let out a chuckle, not bothering to entertain the thought once it crossed my mind. "If you're asking if I fucked anyone, doll face, then no. Despite how low your opinion of me is, it's not like I try to fuck the first pretty woman I see, you know." I scoffed, throwing an arm over the back of the couch.

Her cheeks flared pink with embarrassment, or anger. Maybe both. "That's not what I seem to remember from when we were in high-school." She retorted smartly, and I quirked up a brow. My tongue slipped out to wet my lips and her eyes followed the action. "That was then. I don't really care for that anymore." I told her honestly, not even bothering to deny that I once had been that way. Sleeping around had been fun, sure, but I didn't see the allure to it anymore. I very rarely had one-night-stands.

A beat of silence passed as she looked at me, thinking over what I had said. "Somehow I have a hard time believing that." She muttered. I merely shrugged my shoulders and stretched my legs out. "Should I care what you believe about me, Flora? Your opinion will stay the same either way." I shot back, knowing that I was right by the anger that flickered across her face. God, she hated me. She despised me for how shitty of a friend I had been to her, and I didn't blame her, but it'd been years. We were dumb teens.

Fire sparkled in her eyes as she rose from her seat, not bothering to respond to my words before she stormed off. I wondered if it was simply in attempt to play nice or simply because she didn't have anything to say to prove me wrong.